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No LeBron James, no Kevin Durant, no Carmelo Anthony, no Paul George, no Chris Paul, no Russell Westbrook, no Kevin Love, no problem?

We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks, if, in fact, the United States can repeat as world champions minus most of its premier players.

The World Cup of Basketball tips on Saturday from Spain, with many of the NBA’s leading MVP candidates absent, unlike four years ago, when Durant was the MVP of the World Championship tourney in Turkey. Back then, Durant dominated, with help from his Thunder sidekick Westbrook, Love and a fully healthy Derrick Rose as the U.S. regained the title, after winning bronze in 2006.

Surprisingly, it was America’s first world championship since Shaquille O’Neal led the way over Russia at the SkyDome back in 1994.

The U.S. managed only a couple of bronze medals until the 2010 squad successfully played small-ball, overwhelming with its athleticism, defensive chops and shooting ability.

But repeating will be anything but certain.

Spain surely will get a huge boost from hosting the event (as Turkey did in making the 2010 final) and sits just behind America in the world rankings, led by the imposing frontline of Marc and Pau Gasol, along with Serge Ibaka. Jose Calderon and Juan-Carlos Navarro have excelled in past tournaments and Spain’s golden generation hopes to cap a remarkable nearly two-decade run with its most important result of all, eclipsing its 2006 world title and its back-to-back Olympic silvers.

This American team might not have unstoppable scorers Durant, James and Love, but the likes of Stephen Curry, James Harden and Kyrie Irving are no slouches in that regard and there is far more size on hand, compared to the previous edition.

Anthony Davis appears to be the NBA’s next megastar, a terrifying mix of athleticism, skill and length and DeMarcus Cousins has the skill and brute strength to challenge even the great Marc Gasol.

This group should be good enough to prevail and it’s unlikely any other country besides Spain seriously challenges, although, as we’ve seen at soccer’s World Cup, anything becomes possible once single-elimination, knockout games come into play.

Lithuania, with Toronto Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas, has good size and is seen as an emerging power, but just lost captain and point guard Mantas Kalnietis, which could spell doom to its medal hopes.

Age has caught up to Argentina and the window is now closed for that perennial standout; Brazil has size and little else; France is solid, but not a threat without Spurs star Tony Parker; Australia, like Canada, is a few years away from being in excellent shape, while Greece is always a plucky squad.

Where Canada is concerned, the hope in this country is that the Americans prevail.

Why?

Simple answer: The winner of the World Cup gains an automatic berth to the 2016 Rio Olympics, joining host Brazil.

Two spots will be up for grabs out of the Americas at qualifying next summer.

If the U.S. fails in Spain, you can bet they’ll grab one of them, leaving Canada to battle it out with all the other countries in the region for just one spot.

An American victory now doubles Canada’s chances of making it to the Olympics for the first time since 2000, in Sydney, Australia.

GROUP PREDICTIONS

A: Spain, Serbia, France, Brazil advance.

B: Greece, Croatia, Argentina, Puerto Rico advance.

C: United States, Turkey, New Zealand, Finland advance.

D: Lithuania, Slovenia, Australia, Angola advance.

Gold: USA

Silver: Spain

Bronze: Croatia

THE SKINNY

U.S. has four world titles, behind only Yugoslavia’s five.

U.S. has just one title in past 20 years though.

Spain finished disappointing sixth in 2010.

Second most prestigious tournament after the Olympics.

Four of FIBA’s top 11 teams are in Group A.

Top four teams in each group advance to single-elimination round.

Tournament winner gets Olympic berth.

Canada went 0-8 in its previous two appearances (2010 and 2002).

The next World Cup is not until 2019, with field expanding from 24 to 32 teams.

USA Basketball faces tough challenge at World Cup

No LeBron James, no Kevin Durant, no Carmelo Anthony, no Paul George, no Chris Paul, no Russell Westbrook, no Kevin Love, no problem?

We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks, if, in fact, the United States can repeat as world champions minus most of its premier players.

The World Cup of Basketball tips on Saturday from Spain, with many of the NBA’s leading MVP candidates absent, unlike four years ago, when Durant was the MVP of the World Championship tourney in Turkey. Back then, Durant dominated, with help from his Thunder sidekick Westbrook, Love and a fully healthy Derrick Rose as the U.S. regained the title, after winning bronze in 2006.

Surprisingly, it was America’s first world championship since Shaquille O’Neal led the way over Russia at the SkyDome back in 1994.

The U.S. managed only a couple of bronze medals until the 2010 squad successfully played small-ball, overwhelming with its athleticism, defensive chops and shooting ability.